Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Can Money Buy Happiness?

I was intrigued by today's conversation in lecture about whether money could buy happiness. I come from an affluent town in southern California where one could argue that most of the residents never need to truly worry about money. I was amazed growing up by how many children, who could have almost anything money could buy, seemed so unhappy with life. Their unhappiness seemingly stemmed from perceived body issues, fitting in the high school social structure, or most commonly love. The absence of money may cause happiness but the presence of money cannot buy or guarantee happiness.

Why were these rich, smart, beautiful young adults set on being unhappy? I am not sure. Maybe the norm is for humans to be unhappy. If we are always happy and content with life, what reason is there to strive for more?